Anyone use a POT RACK in their kitchen?

[ahrimie]

I've been thinking about getting one and was wondering if anyone here had one. Anything I should be looking for? Features or extra things? We have an island so I planned on putting it above that area.

Also, how many pots/pans look best on it? Do you feel like it's functional or just fashionable? I only want it if it's functional. We have a cabinet I currently keep them in but it's always so hard to find what I want and they're stacked on each other so it's not easy retrieval.

My husband does sheet metal fabrication for a living so he said he can make it for me at work... I just need to give him the specs and what I want. He can design it and then cut it out.

I hope I get some good tips here! So excited!

[dcmom2b3]

I don't have one yet, but am planning to one day hang one above my island, too. I want one with lighting, and a horizonal surface so that I can stow more stuff on the top if I want or need to.

[Melaine]

My friend has one with a light in the middle and the pots hang around it, above an island. It was brushed stainless I think.... I am totally in love with it....one day if I get a dream kitchen

[sste]

We have the one from Crate and Barrel that is some sort of metal/stainless. We love it - - it has tremendously increased our kitchen storage. I can't believe how long we waited to get that thing - - I regret every month I was pot-rack-less!

[MarisaSF]

We have one that came with our house and hangs above an island. I love it. I'm all about the functionality. I don't keep everything up there -- a couple smaller pans, a colander, two trivets, and some cookie cutters that I use often for the kids' sandwiches. :p Everything I keep up there is stainless steel, which IMO looks okay because it reflects light and keeps it looking not so heavy. I hang the pans bottom-to-bottom to hide their stains. :wink2:

For big parties, I take down everything and store them in a cabinet. It's functional, but not fashionable. Especially if we're serving food on the island.

Ours has a horiz shelf, but I don't keep anything up there.

[egoldber]

I have one above my island and I *love* it. I am alllllll about function though. I love having all my pans right above my head. Ours is Calphalon brand and we bought it at Bed, Bath & Beyond. I mainly keep skillets and sauce pans on it. I also have a few pots that are too large or too heavy (stock pots, Le Creuset casserole).

[pastrygirl]

We want one so badly! But we have lights above our island already, so I don't think we can put a pot rack there. I might look into it, though, because we have a ton of pots and it's a pain that they take up so much space in the cabinets and are hard to access!

[alien_host]

We have the one from Crate and Barrel that is some sort of metal/stainless. We love it - - it has tremendously increased our kitchen storage. I can't believe how long we waited to get that thing - - I regret every month I was pot-rack-less!

I'm pretty sure I have this same one. I love it! We had it at our old house over an island. At the new place it's over a penninsula. I think it looks great, I have a stainless pot/pan set that all matches. I also hang some utensils (ladle, spagetti spoon, whisk etc) that came with the pots and pans on one end. We bought extra hooks for it.

IMO it looks better if the pans match and aren't all a mismash, but that's just me. There is a shelf and I have my roasting pan up there. I love how I don't clog the cabinets with pots this way.

So you can visualize it is similar to this one, but all stainless: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=525&f=13329&q=pot+rack&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

Mine was bought in 2002 so the part that hangs it from the ceiling are a series of hooks (like chains) and not exactly like this.

[ahrimie]

How many pots do you hang on yours?

I have the All Clad Stainless set and their utensils too. I probably wouldn't hang up the utensils though because they're in a holder right next to the stove and I like it there I think.

I'm 5'3" and my DH is 5'8" (on a good day I think.. lol). Is it easy to access the top shelf to put your pots there?

[ahrimie]

We have one that came with our house and hangs above an island. I love it. I'm all about the functionality. I don't keep everything up there -- a couple smaller pans, a colander, two trivets, and some cookie cutters that I use often for the kids' sandwiches. :p Everything I keep up there is stainless steel, which IMO looks okay because it reflects light and keeps it looking not so heavy. I hang the pans bottom-to-bottom to hide their stains. :wink2:

For big parties, I take down everything and store them in a cabinet. It's functional, but not fashionable. Especially if we're serving food on the island.

Ours has a horiz shelf, but I don't keep anything up there.

O darn. So you don't feel like it's fashionable at all? Is it because it's just too close to the food if you're entertaining? Is there anything you would/could change to make it fashionable?

We have guests a fair amount and I wouldn't/couldn't take down all of my pots/pans everytime they came over. I'd rather keep them in a cabinet if I had to do that.

[fivi2]

We don't have an island - very small kitchen, but we have one that is a shelf against the wall and has hooks below it. I love it - totally functional.

[Gena]

We have a small half-round pot rack. Our kitchen is about the size of a postage stamp, so anything that gives me extra space is a plus. I hang most of my pots and my smaller two cast iron pans on it. the rest of my pots and pans live in the oven because I have no where else to keep them.

[toby]

We love ours... I wouldn't call it "fashionable" but I think that it looks fine/good. People often comment that they wish that they had one. We have some Calphalon pots and pans, some copper, some mish-mash. If I were going over to your house, even if I saw mish-mash, I would think that it looked cool and like you actually know how to cook...not that you are trying to display a bunch of fancy pots and pans. But...that's just me!

We also hang a few utensils on it- spatulas that we use a lot (the rest are in a pottery container by the stove).

[alien_host]

How many pots do you hang on yours?

I have the All Clad Stainless set and their utensils too. I probably wouldn't hang up the utensils though because they're in a holder right next to the stove and I like it there I think.

I'm 5'3" and my DH is 5'8" (on a good day I think.. lol). Is it easy to access the top shelf to put your pots there?

I also have All Clad. I have a lot of pots on mine the rack came with 6 hooks on each long side. So 6 pots on one long side. 3 frying pans , the collander, and the insert to the pasta pot on the other long side. I also have 4 stainless bowls (non-All Clad) down the center. The tools are on the end since I don't really use the All Clad tools much (they came as a bonus, but I prefer plastic spatulas and spoons). I do use the whisk often and just grab it when I need it. The items in the middle and on the ends are on stainless hooks we bought somewhere.

I'm short, 5"1" so I need to use a step stool to get the shorter pieces (without the long handle down). As for the top shelf, I so rarely use those pieces (roasting pan - like 2 x a year) that I don't access it often.

I don't take pots down when entertaining. It really depends on the space between the counter and the rack. The lowest pot bottom is 28 inches from the counter. Let me see if I can find a picture for you. It sounds very cluttered but I've gotten nice comments about it.

Bar Keeper's Friend scouring powder is great for making the All Clad shine!

[ssjarrett]

I have this one and I love it:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=155693-76219-CIA9832&lpage=none

It has two lights built in as well. It came with 6 hooks and I hang two pans from each hook which works out fine for us. It's very functional for my needs and a big improvement on a search through the cabinets for the pan I need!

[hellokitty]

I've always wanted one too, but my concern is, don't the pots and pans end up getting dusty? Or do you have to make sure you dust them (that kind of grosses me out thinking about it).

[ahrimie]

I don't take pots down when entertaining. It really depends on the space between the counter and the rack. The lowest pot bottom is 28 inches from the counter. Let me see if I can find a picture for you. It sounds very cluttered but I've gotten nice comments about it.


Oh, I'd LOVE to see how yours looks!!


Bar Keeper's Friend scouring powder is great for making the All Clad shine!

Yes, I love Bar Keeper's too... I guess I'll have to use it more often if I'm going to "showcase" my pots and pans! :wink2:

[egoldber]

I find that pots I haven't used in a long time (like in months) get dusty, but the ones I use all the time do not.

Maybe it's not fashionable, but it is amazingly functional and practical. And I like the look of my cookware even if doesn't "match". :) Have you seen pictures of Julia Child's kitchen? That is the look I aspire to, not ones in Metropolitan Home. ;)

Also, I am 5'1" and DH is only 5'5" and we don't have any problems reaching it.

[MarisaSF]

O darn. So you don't feel like it's fashionable at all? Is it because it's just too close to the food if you're entertaining? Is there anything you would/could change to make it fashionable?

We have guests a fair amount and I wouldn't/couldn't take down all of my pots/pans everytime they came over. I'd rather keep them in a cabinet if I had to do that.

I guess I should clarify. I do love and appreciate the functionality of a pot rack. Ours is not necessarily one I would have chosen, but it's fine. I just like lots of things put away for large parties. Maybe just my quirk. I put away the toaster, coffee maker, dish rack, etc too. Only for bigger gatherings, not like a playgroup or a couple families, etc.

I took a couple pictures. This is what ours looks like on a normal day. The longest pan is 19" off the counter.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c274/mristhefish/IMG_0955.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c274/mristhefish/IMG_0956.jpg

In our old place, with fewer storage cabinets, we kept a lot more things on our pot rack. My favorite trick is storing the lids on the handles before hanging. I need to look into that Bartender's Friend stuff for the bottom of my SS pans.

[vludmilla]

I have one that is screwed into a wall near a corner. I like it because it has shelves for cookbooks, etcetera and it is out of the way. I really love having it because it keeps my cabinets much neater. If you have the space for it...go for it.
Oh, I will say that I like mine because I think it is attractive and my pots and pans are newer so I think it looks nice.

[alien_host]

Here are two pics of mine. The first is during the daytime and the second at night since I was having flash issues.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3199260089_a644f02ab7.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/3199260083_02084b3709.jpg?v=0

[ahrimie]

Here are two pics of mine. The first is during the daytime and the second at night since I was having flash issues.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3199260089_a644f02ab7.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/3199260083_02084b3709.jpg?v=0


omg, i love! i love your kitchen in general :)

ok, i think you sold me!!

[alien_host]

omg, i love! i love your kitchen in general :)

ok, i think you sold me!!

Aw, thanks we just moved and had it remodeled so it's nice when people say they like it! I say go for it, it really frees up cabinet space. Both the pots and rack were bought in 2002 so neither are new but they stay pretty new looking!

I'd love to see yours when you put it up, I think you mentioned that your DH was going to make one for you, I think that's really cool.


Man you have pretty pots :)

Thanks! I swear the Bar Keeper's Friend, and a DH that doesn't mind scrubbing pots, really does the trick. Although I have to be honest, I'm not a major cook, so some of the posts don't get a ton of use and they stay new looking. ;)

Oh and on the dust question, I don't dust my pots and pans. But like someone else mentioned, if I haven't used them in a while (like the double boiler or the roasting pan), I do wash them before using them.

Another thing, as a PP mentioned, I also put the lids on the handle of the pots before hanging, it's hard to tell here. The extra lids are those on stockpots and such that don't have a long handle.

[ahrimie]

BTW, did you ladies get it professionally installed or did you (or your DH) do it? I saw on a few sites that sell pot racks that they recommend a professional install. But I'm married to a man that thinks he can do EVERYTHING.. hence, why he also wants to make a pot rack instead of buying it. I appreciate this attitude sometimes and love having him help around the house. But sometimes, it's just too much!!

[justlearning]

I don't have a pot rack (fortunately am blessed with enough cabinet space for them), but I have noticed that sometimes pot racks interfere with conversation when they're hung low. If I'm standing on one side of the island trying to talk to my friend at her house, I usually can't see her well due to the low-hanging pots and pans. So I have to be right next to her to talk with comfortably, but this isn't always possible when they're hosting gatherings. (Perhaps it's because I'm tall--5'10"?) I believe that their kitchen ceiling's height is 8' so maybe that contributes to it hanging down so low.

Anyhow, it's just an observation I thought I'd mention... Maybe others who have a pot rack might have more input on this issue?

[alien_host]

BTW, did you ladies get it professionally installed or did you (or your DH) do it? I saw on a few sites that sell pot racks that they recommend a professional install. But I'm married to a man that thinks he can do EVERYTHING.. hence, why he also wants to make a pot rack instead of buying it. I appreciate this attitude sometimes and love having him help around the house. But sometimes, it's just too much!!

In our old house, DH did it, making sure the eye bolts were in a joist. At our current house the contractor put some wood bracing in the ceiling (between joists) where the rack would go so the eye bolts are attached to solid wood. The ceiling was open so we could do that. It's very sturdy...although when DD jumps around upstairs the whole ceiling shakes and it makes a racket and is a little nerve-wracking! But it's sturdy.

[gatorsmom]

We registered for and received a set of pots and pans from Caphalon for our wedding 8 years ago. We got the matching Calphalon pot rack. I think it was about $100. When we moved a year later we had to leave it behind in the kitchen but I found some at www.chefsoutlet.com for half the price. Ours came with hooks and I've used every hook for a pan. It does save a lot of room- it's very useful.

My only recommendation is that if you plan to hang this over your island, match the shape of the potrack to the shape of your island. IOW, if your island has curves to it, go for an oval rack. If your island is more square or linear, go for a rectangular potrack. jmho. gl.

[ahrimie]

.

My only recommendation is that if you plan to hang this over your island, match the shape of the potrack to the shape of your island. IOW, if your island has curves to it, go for an oval rack. If your island is more square or linear, go for a rectangular potrack. jmho. gl.


Yes, I was thinking the same thing. Our island is a rectangle but it has smooth/rounded edges (but don't all islands have smooth edges?). So I was thinking DH could make the same shape. I think we'll have to see some IRL and see what looks best.

gatorsmom, I can't find any pot racks on the website you linked. Can you help?

[gatorsmom]

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. Our island is a rectangle but it has smooth/rounded edges (but don't all islands have smooth edges?). So I was thinking DH could make the same shape. I think we'll have to see some IRL and see what looks best.

gatorsmom, I can't find any pot racks on the website you linked. Can you help?

Wow, just checked out the website and it seems they now only carry knives and accessories. They must have changed. Sorry about that.

The Calphalon website shows as it's main potrack picture the one we have, however, it doesn't appear that they make that one anymore. But I did find a site with lots of different potracks shown, many on sale. They have all diffferent shapes and sizes. Pretty neat. Hope this helps:

http://www.potracksource.com/classic-rectangle-pot-racks.html